Embracing my God given role as a woman!

Okay so yesterday as I was driving home from school I was scanning the stations in the car. My mom's presets are different than mine were so I was doing it manually. I was looking for one of the Christian stations I usually listen to on my commute to and from school. Well, for some reason I couldn't get them to come in! BUT I did happen to come across a station that was talking about Paul. I didn't get much out of that conversation because I only caught the end. But after a few minutes a "Pastor Sandy" came on the radio and was delivering a sermon. It got me thinking about things and I haven't stopped thinking about it since then!

His sermon was about the roles each person plays within the family: the husband, the wife, and the children. Now, in today's society there is quite a different view on how a household should run than how it is explained in the Bible. I had heard this before earlier this year when Pastor Steve preached on the topic. I also have read a couple of books that go into some detail about the topic. Before, I had said that I wanted to live my God given role as a woman but I don't think I REALLY wanted to. I had a problem with it. I had a problem handing over the authority to a man. Who says that they should get that authority in OUR marriage? Aren't we equal? Then, today I realized. WOW WOW WOW! God said that the man should get the authority. So suck it up and let God be God.

Okay so I'm going to lay it all out on the line so that you have the option right now to stop reading. I'm pretty sure that you'll have a BIG problem with what I'm about to say. However, I believe this to be true because it is God's way... not the world's way. This passage is from Ephesians 5:

22-24Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands.
25-28Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They're really doing themselves a favor—since they're already "one" in marriage.

And this from Genesis 2:

18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam [h] no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs [i] and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib [j] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

So looking at those passages there are some powerful words in there! The directions for women are to SUBMIT and be a HELPER to their husbands. In some translations it even says that a woman shall be OBEDIENT to her husband. Now, before you go off and say "Hey hey hey, those words suck. I don't want to submit, help, or be obedient to my husband" let me point this out. Can you think of someone in the Bible who lives his life doing nothing but SUBMITTING? Ding ding ding you got it! Jesus lived his life submitting to God. Shoot, if you ask me if I want to be like Jesus... I don't have only one hand raised I have both raised jumping up and down yelling, "me me me!" And that word HELPER, I'm pretty sure that God is our numero uno helper. So is being a helper a negative thing? Again, I think not. If the man that died for my sins and the Creator of Heaven and Earth can submit and be HELPERS... I really don't think I'm any better than them and I am capable of doing the same! It's not a negative thing to submit and help. Just TRY to wrap your mind around that!

Okay but women, yes it looks like we get the "dirty" words but man oh man look at what is expected of our husbands!?! They are told to love us as themselves and as Christ loved the church, to cherish us, to lead us, to bring out the best in us! WOW! Sign me up for a husband like that! I don't know many men that would readily be able to do this! Or even think about WANTING to do this. Now, think. If women lived out their God given role as He has told us to and men lived out their God given role as He has told them to.... how could is NOT work!? Women are getting the love that they deserve and desire and men are getting the respect that they deserve and need. What a great concept!

Oh but come on, this would be too hard right? Well, think about it. I know that when God reveals to me the man that he has long planned for me... I will trust him and easily be able to submit to him. I will WANT to be his helper and be obedient to him. WHY? Because he has my best interest in mind, he will LOVE me beyond belief, he will do nothing to harm me or steer me in the wrong direction.

You know that the divorce rate is high and that there are so many marriages that are failing. Well, I think it's because the couple has decided to do it "their way" or the "world's way" instead of trusting God and doing it "His way." I don't know about you... but my relationships in the past haven't really worked out. I wonder why. Maybe because I wanted it MY way.

So although marriage is a long way off for me (I don't even have a perspective at this point!!) I am sure of the fact that the role God has given me as a woman is full of purpose. I have a place in this world and within a marriage. And I just believe with my WHOLE heart!

God's Blessings!

Megan